This invention relates to game playing services for gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker machines. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of providing player tracking game services to casinos and game players.
There are a wide variety of associated devices that can be connected to a gaming machine such as a slot machine or video poker machine. Some examples of these devices are player tracking units, lights, ticket printers, card readers, speakers, bill validators, ticket readers, coin acceptors, display panels, key pads, coin hoppers and button pads. Many of these devices are built into the gaming machine or components associated with the gaming machine such as a top box which usually sits on top of the gaming machine.
Typically, utilizing a master gaming controller, the gaming machine controls various combinations of devices that allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine and also encourage game play on the gaming machine. For example, a game played on a gaming machine usually requires a player to input money or indicia of credit into the gaming machine, indicate a wager amount, and initiate a game play. These steps require the gaming machine to control input devices, including bill validators and coin acceptors, to accept money into the gaming machine and recognize user inputs from devices, including key pads and button pads, to determine the wager amount and initiate game play. After game play has been initiated, the gaming machine determines a game outcome, presents the game outcome to the player and may dispense an award of some type depending on the outcome of the game.
For gaming machine operators, an important aspect of gaming machine operations is determining the game playing habits of individual game players. When the game playing habits of an individual player are known, the gaming machine operator may provide incentives corresponding to the game playing habits of the individual game player to encourage additional game play. For example, the gaming machine operator may provide an individual player with coupons for free meals, free rooms or discounted game play depending on their game playing habits. The game playing habits of individual game players are typically determined by monitoring game usage on a gaming machine using a player tracking unit. The player tracking unit collects game usage data and player identification information from the gaming machine which is sent to a remote server for archival and analysis purposes.
Currently, player tracking units are usually manufactured as an after-market device separate from the gaming machine. Many different companies manufacture player tracking units as part of player tracking/accounting systems. These player tracking/accounting systems are used in most casinos. While the type of player tracking system varies from casino to casino, a particular casino will utilize only one type of player tracking system (i.e. from one manufacturer).
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of two gaming machines, 100 and 101, with player tracking units connected to two servers, 120 and 121, providing player tracking/accounting services. Characteristics of a player tracking accounting/system such as dimensions of the player tracking unit, communication protocols used by the player tracking unit, dimensions and layout of player tracking devices contained in the player tracking unit, connection schemes and mounting of the player tracking unit to the gaming machine, vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Thus, to illustrate differences among player tracking systems manufactured by different companies and their impact gaming machine design and operation, the gaming machines, 100 and 101, are described with representative features of different player tracking systems.
A first player tracking unit comprising, a device box 107 and slot machine interface board (SMIB) 103, is mounted within the top box 117 on top the main cabinet 118 of the gaming machine 100 with a display 102. On a video gaming machine, a player may view a game presentation on the display 102. A second player tracking unit comprising, a device box 104 and SMIB 103, is mounted the main cabinet 118 of the gaming machine 100. Each player tracking unit utilizes a display, key pad and card reader enclosed within a device housing or chassis of some type, 104 and 107. The devices incorporated in a player tracking unit may vary. Some player tracking units have only a display and a card reader with no key pad, others have a display, a card reader, a key pad and a bonus button, while others have a display, a card reader and a bonus button with no key pad.
Typically, the dimensions of the device housings, 104 and 107, differ among manufacturers. For instance, the frontal area of housing 107 is smaller than 104. Further, the player tracking devices in the device housings, 104 and 107, may be of different sizes, which may affect the dimensions of the device housing such as the depth that the device housing extends into the gaming machine. Also, the layout of the player tracking devices within the device housings and the dimensions of each device may differ. For example, a key pad 115 is wider and longer than a key pad 114 and is located below a card reader 109 while the key pad 114 is located across from the card reader 108.
Many other player tracking unit specifications are also variable. For instance, within each device housing, each of the player tracking devices may be attached to the device housing in a different manner which varies depending on the manufacturer of a particular tracking device. Further, different attachment means may be supplied with each device housing for attaching the player tracking unit to a gaming machine which also varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Also, connection schemes (e.g. pin connectors), cabling and power requirements supplied with each player tracking unit may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Many player tracking units include a separate slot machine interface board (SMIB), such as 103 and 106, which may be mounted in a location within the gaming machine which is separate from the device housings, 104 and 107. For instance, in gaming machine 100, the SMIB 106 is mounted within the top box 117 opposite the device housing 107 and in gaming machine 101, the SMIB 103 is mounted within the main cabinet 118 below the device housing 104. Like the device housings, 104 and 107, the dimensions of the SMIBs, 103 and 106, physical attachments and connection schemes, cabling and power requirements may vary depending on the manufacturer of the SMIB.
The SMIBs, 103 and 106, are used to collect game usage information from the gaming machine (e.g. 100 or 101) which is transmitted to a player tracking/accounting server such as 120 and 121 using a network interface of some type such as the main communication board 110. Via the network interface, the SMIB""s may communicate with a data collection unit 116. Each data collection unit (DCU) 116 may be connected to as many as thirty two different SMIBs where each SMIB resides on a different gaming machine. The DCU""s consolidate the information gathered from the SMIBs connected to the DCU 116 and forward the information to a player tracking account server such as 120 or 121.
Each type of player tracking/accounting server 120 and 121 and associated player tracking unit may utilize a different communication protocol to communicate game usage information and player tracking information collected by its associated SMIB over the network interface. For instance, player tracking/accounting server 120 and SMIB 103 may use a Slot Accounting System (SAS) protocol provided by IGT (Reno, Nev.) to communicate game usage information while player tracking/accounting server 121 and SMIB 106 may use a Slot Data System (SDS) protocol provided by Bally gaming systems (Las Vegas, Nev.).
To collect gaming information from a gaming machine, the player tracking unit may poll the gaming machine for information. For example, the player tracking unit 120 may poll the master gaming controller 125 to determine how much money the game player has wagered on each game, the time when each game was initiated and the location of the gaming machine. The master gaming controller 104 replies to the information requests from the player tracking unit with the requested gaming information. To the master gaming controller 104, the player tracking unit is a black box. Thus, the master gaming controller does not operate the player tracking unit in any manner. For instance, the master gaming controller does not communicate with or may not send commands to the devices residing in the player tracking unit such as the card readers, 108 and 109, the displays, 112 and 113, or the key pad, 114 and 115.
For gaming machine operators and gaming machine manufacturers, a number of disadvantages arise from the lack of standardization among player tracking units. A first disadvantage is that the variations of the player tracking units from manufacturer to manufacturer add to the complexity of the design of the gaming machine. Currently, there are at least 19 different companies that manufacturer player tracking units that may be mounted in a gaming machine. Typically, as described above, each of these companies use different hardware and different communication protocols to design the player tracking unit.
To accommodate gaming machine operators with different player tracking requirements, gaming machine manufacturers design their gaming machines to accommodate as many types of player tracking units as possible. To accommodate player tracking units from different manufacturers custom parts may have to be designed. For instance, custom mounting brackets within the gaming machine 100 may be needed that can accommodate different player tracking mounting hardware from each of the 19 manufacturers of player tracking units. Gathering the information needed to design a particular mounting bracket, designing the part and then repeating it for each manufacture requires significant resources.
The variation in player tracking units impact gaming machine design in other ways. For instance, the gaming machine components within the gaming machine are packaged to allow room for player tracking units and/or data collection units with widely varying dimensions which complicates the design of the gaming machine. As yet another example, the frontal area of each housing is covered with a decorative faceplate consistent with a decorative theme of the particular gaming machine. Thus, a decorative face plate must be designed for each gaming machine that is consistent with the layout, dimensions and mounting requirements for each type of player tracking unit. Often to satisfy the requirements of a particular player tracking unit, a custom installation kit is designed. At the operating location of the casino, the gaming machine operator may install the player tracking units into an assembled gaming machine using the installation kit which adds to the cost of purchasing and installing the gaming machine.
A second disadvantage of current player tracking units is a limited communication capability. Typically, as described above, player tracking units communicate in only one fixed communication protocol to a player tracking accounting server where the communication protocols used by each player tracking unit tend to vary according to the manufacturer of the player tracking unit. Network gaming services, which require communicating ever larger amounts of information, are becoming increasingly important in the gaming industry. The limited communication capabilities of current player tracking units make it difficult for a gaming machine operator to upgrade player tracking services. For instance, to upgrade the communication protocol on an existing player tracking server or to utilize a new player tracking server that utilizes a more efficient communication protocol to transfer gaming information, a casino operator might have to replace expensive player tracking units in all of its gaming machines to enable communications with the new player tracking server. When completed, only one model of many would have the enhanced capability and the same effort would need to be repeated for many various models of player tracking units.
A third disadvantage of separate hardware player tracking units is that the devices utilized by the player tracking unit, such as the displays, 112 and 113, the key pads, 114 and 115, and card readers, 108 and 109, are not accessible to the master gaming controllers, 104, within the gaming machines, 100 and 101. Thus, for example, the master gaming controller can not use the card reader (e.g. 108 or 109) for other gaming applications requiring a card reader. Therefore, if a gaming application executed on the gaming machine requires a card reader, a second card reader may has to be installed on the gaming machine. Since one card reader may be sufficient for use in multiple gaming applications, the installation of a second card reader may be very inefficient.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide a less expensive, less complicated and more efficient methods and apparatus of providing player tracking services for a gaming machine.
This invention addresses the needs indicated above by providing a player tracking unit with a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the player tracking unit to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers. The software on the player tracking unit may be designed or configured to accommodate new player tracking features such as new communication protocols. The player tracking unit may contain many different types of player tracking peripheral devices such as card readers, key pads, displays, bonus buttons and biometric input mechanisms. The peripheral devices contained in the player tracking unit may be accessible to the master gaming controller on a gaming machine and may be utilized by the master gaming controller for other gaming applications. The player tracking units may use standard components allowing the player tracking unit to fit in many different types of gaming machines with minimal modifications to the player tracking unit or the gaming machine.
One aspect of the present invention provides a player tracking unit. The player tracking unit may be generally characterized as including: 1) one or more of the following peripheral devices: a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device; 2) a logic device designed or configured a) to collect player tracking information from the peripheral devices, b) to collect accounting information from a master gaming controller on a gaming machine and c) to send the player tracking information and the accounting information to a player tracking server; and 3) a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the logic device to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers using different communication protocols to communicate with the player tracking unit. The memory may be also arranged to store a plurality of device drivers for each type of peripheral device.
In particular embodiments, the player tracking unit may employ a standard housing for enclosing the logic device and the peripheral devices which is designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines where the standard housing may conform to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices. The player tracking unit may also employ a number of different standard mounting means designed or configured to mount a) one of a plurality of different types of card readers in the player tracking unit b) one of a plurality of different types of displays in the player tracking unit and c) one of a plurality of different types of key pads in the player tracking unit. In addition, a standard device housing which is separate from the logic device housing and which is designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines and enclose the one or more peripheral devices, may be used for the player tracking unit where the standard device housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout for the peripheral devices. Further, a standard logic device housing which is separate from the logic device housing and which is designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines and enclose the logic device, may be used for the player tracking unit.
In particular embodiments, the player tracking unit may also include a) a network interface where the network interface is a wireless interface or a wired interface and b) a firewall. The card reader may be designed or configured to read a smart card or write to the smart card and the biometric input device may be a finger print device. Further, the logic device may be a microcontroller or a microprocessor.
In a specific embodiment, the player tracking unit may include a peripheral communications connection where the logic device is designed or configured to communicate with the master gaming controller via the peripheral communication connection using a standard communication protocol where the standard communication protocol may be USB. Further, the logic device may be designed or configured to receive from the master gaming controller operation instructions for one or more peripheral devices. The player tracking unit may also include a hub connected to the peripheral communications connection and containing a plurality of peripheral communications connections.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a gaming machine with a player tracking unit. The gaming machine may be generally characterized as including 1) a master gaming controller designed or configured to control one or more games on the gaming machine and 2) a player tracking unit comprising; a) one or more of the following peripheral devices: a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device; b) a logic device, separate from the master gaming controller, designed or configured to collect player tracking information from the peripheral devices, to collect accounting information from a master gaming controller on a gaming machine and send the player tracking information and the accounting information to a player tracking server; and c) a memory arranged to store a plurality of different communication protocols allowing the logic device to communicate with a plurality of different types of gaming machines and a plurality of different types of player tracking servers. The game controlled by the master gaming controller may be a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video black jack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game. Further, the gaming machine may include mounting means designed to mount a player tracking unit enclosed in a standard housing.
In particular embodiments, the master gaming controller may include a memory arranged to store software that allows the master gaming controller to detect gaming events on the one or more peripheral devices and the logic on the player tracking unit may be designed or configured to receive instructions from the master gaming controller controlling the operation of one or more of the peripheral devices. The gaming machine may also include a peripheral communication connection. Thus, the master gaming controller may include a memory arranged to store software for a communication protocol that allows communication with the player tracking unit via the peripheral communication connection where the communication protocol is USB.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a player tracking gaming peripheral. The player tracking gaming peripheral may be characterized as including: 1) a peripheral communication connection; and 2) a peripheral controller configured or designed to control communications with a master gaming controller in a gaming machine and to receive instructions from the master gaming controller for one or more of the following peripheral devices: a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device where the instructions from the master gaming controller allow the player tracking gaming peripheral to operate on player tracking events.
In particular embodiments, the player tracking gaming peripheral may include one or more of the following: a) a peripheral interface that directly connects to the one or more peripheral devices, b) hub connected to the peripheral communications connection and containing a plurality of peripheral communications connections, c) a standard housing for the player tracking gaming peripheral designed or configured to fit in one of a plurality of different types of gaming machines wherein the standard housing conforms to at least one of standard dimensions and a standard layout of the peripheral devices, d) a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of card readers in the player tracking gaming peripheral, e) a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of displays in the player tracking gaming peripheral and f) a standard mounting means designed or configured to mount one of a plurality of different types of key pads in the player tracking gaming peripheral.
In other embodiments, the peripheral controller may include one or more of the following: 1) a control microprocessor, separate from the master gaming controller, designed or configured to communicate over the peripheral communications connection, 2) a non-volatile memory arranged to store at least one of i) configuration parameters specific to the player tracking gaming peripheral and ii) state history information of the player tracking gaming peripheral, 3) a non-volatile memory arranged to store operating code for the gaming peripheral, 4) a memory arranged to store a plurality of device drivers for each type of peripheral device and 5) a memory arranged to store software for a communication protocol that allows communication with the master gaming controller where the communication protocol may be USB.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a gaming machine with a player tracking gaming peripheral. The gaming machine may be generally characterized as including: 1) a master gaming controller designed or configured to control one or more games on the gaming machine; 2) a network interface for communicating with a player tracking server; and 3) a player tracking gaming peripheral, the player tracking gaming peripheral comprising; i) a peripheral communication connection; and ii) a peripheral controller configured or designed to control communications with the master gaming controller and to receive instructions from the master gaming controller for one or more of the following peripheral devices: a card reader, a display, a key pad, a bonus button and a biometric input device wherein the instructions from the master gaming controller allow the player tracking gaming peripheral to operate on player tracking events. In specific embodiments, the gaming machine may include mounting means designed to mount a player tracking gaming peripheral enclosed in a standard housing and the game controlled by the master gaming controller may be a video bingo game, a video lottery game, a video black jack game, a video slot game, a mechanical slot game, a video poker game, a video keno game, a video pachinko game, a video game of chance and a video card game.
In particular embodiments, the master gaming controller may include one or more of the following: a) a memory arranged to store software for a standard device identification protocol for the player tracking gaming peripheral and the one or more peripheral devices, b) a memory arranged to store a plurality of device drivers for at least some of each different type of peripheral device, c) software that allows the master gaming controller to detect gaming events on the one or more peripheral devices where the gaming event is a player tracking event, d) software for a communication protocol that allows communication with the player tracking gaming peripheral via the peripheral communication connection where the communication protocol is USB and e) a plurality of different types of communication protocols allowing the gaming machine to communicate with a plurality of different types of player tracking servers. The master gaming controller may be designed or configured to send player tracking information and accounting information using the network interface to the player tracking server to receive player tracking information from the player tracking server using the network interface where the network interface is a wireless interface or a wired interface.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of initializing a player tracking unit on a gaming machine. The method may be generally characterized as including: 1) establishing communications with a player tracking server; 2) loading a player tracking protocol for communicating with the player tracking server from among a plurality of different player tracking protocols; 3) establishing communications with a master gaming controller on a gaming machine; 4) loading a gaming machine protocol for communicating with a master gaming controller on the gaming machine from among a plurality of different gaming machine protocols; and 5) performing one or more player tracking functions. In addition, the method may include one or more of the following: a) sending the gaming information to the player tracking server, b) determining the player tracking server type, c) determining the gaming machine type and d) determining one or more peripheral device types.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of designing and producing a player tracking unit for installation in a gaming machine. The method may be generally characterized as including 1) identifying one or more components to be included in the player tracking unit; 2) defining a housing for the player tracking unit, which housing is designed having dimensions conforming to dimensions specified in a standard for player tracking units in gaming machines; and 3) producing the player tracking unit having the defined housing and one or more components where the player tracking unit may be an after market unit for the gaming machine. In addition, the method may include defining an arrangement of the one or more components with respect to one another in housing, wherein the arrangement conforms to said standard for player tracking units in gaming machines.
These and other features of the present invention will be presented in more detail in the following detailed description of the invention and the associated figures.